Various types of radiographic devices are generally known in the art. A known x-ray unit for podiatry is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,668, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present disclosure. Generally, such x-ray units include a platform upon which are placed the feet of a patient to be x-rayed. The platform is elevated above floor level to allow film cassettes to be positioned in a film well located below the platform. The platform may further include a slot for receiving a vertically oriented film cassette. A radiographic head is mounted on vertical mounting members, which serve to space the radiographic head a desired distance above the foot platform. The vertical mounting members are moveable in both the lateral and longitudinal directions so that x-rays of a patient's feet can be taken from many angles while easily maintaining the same source to image distance (SID).
Some radiographic techniques require the patient to place weight on the subject area as the image is captured. A podiatrist, for example, may require certain foot x-rays to be taken where the patient must stand on top of the image receptor during image capture. In some scenarios, a podiatrist may need multiple different images, such as lateral, medial oblique, and anteroposterior (AP) projections, that may require the patient to be repositioned for each image. Repositioning of feet for different views is often difficult or dangerous for elderly patients or individuals whose balance or ability to move on the platform is impaired due to disease or other conditions, such as arthritis.
More recently, electronic methods (such as direct radiography (DR) and computed radiography (CR)) have been developed to obtain and display radiographic images without the use of film. In DR and CR, a reusable image receptor is used to map radiation levels during a radiographic procedure and store the data electronically. This data can then be used to display a radiographic image. While the image receptors used in DR and CR processes may be convenient and less expensive to use than film, the digital conversion process used to obtain and generate images is more sensitive to inaccuracies in measured radiation levels. Consequently, it is important to properly position the patient relative to the image receptor in order to capture the desired type of radiographic image. Additionally, to obtain weight-bearing images, the patient typically stands directly on the image receptor, making proper positioning of the patient more difficult. Still further, while the use of digital image receptors provides an opportunity to capture multiple images on a single receptor, the patient must be precisely aligned with the desired portion of the image receptor and therefore further repositioning of the patient is needed.